SCUPI

On the afternoon of May 25^th, 2025, the English Association of Sichuan University – Pittsburgh Institute held the finals of the English Speech Contest themed “HELLO & GOODBYE” on the Jiang’an South Campus of Sichuan University. This event focused on the sharing of real stories and emotional connections. Ten contestants stood out from the preliminaries and, under the witness of over 70 audience members, delivered moving narratives about encounters and farewells in English. For this event, special guests included Associate Dean for Academic Affairs TsunZee Mai, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs Di Liu, and several other teachers who served as judges and provided on-site guidance.

Centering around the theme of “HELLO & GOODBYE,” contestants narrated from diverse perspectives. Family bonds emerged as a frequent keyword, with one contestant recalling the transformation from naively saying “goodbye” to their father who traveled abroad for work throughout their childhood to proactively saying “hello” as an adult, marking their growth. Campus life was also given new interpretations, with one contestant using stand-up comedy to poke fun at the “survival rate of friendships” during graduation season and the awkwardness and warmth of “online reunions” in the era of social media. Additionally, one contestant combined the background of globalization and cross-cultural experiences to analyze the disappearance of traditional farewell rituals and explored the development of new interpersonal relationships in today’s era.

After the contest, the judges commented and scored the contestants’ performances. Associate Dean TsunZee Mai particularly praised the contestants’ language expression, noting that they “skillfully used situational narratives instead of empty lyrics to immerse the audience.” Assistant Professor Mathew Evans, meanwhile, affirmed the contestants from a cross-cultural perspective, stating that “they reflected universal issues of the times through personal stories.” The judging panel comprehensively evaluated the contestants based on three dimensions: content depth, language fluency, and emotional resonance. The final award winners are as follows:

First Prize: Guangyu Yang

Second Prizes: Tong Hu, Yuanhang Tang, Shuyan Zou

Third Prizes: Siyuan Zheng, Zhengkang Xu, Yucheng Lin, Hao Xu, Yuzhou Wu, Jiayu Shi

The SCUPI SONIC triggered widespread emotional resonance through its “small theme,” successfully demonstrating the value of this English speech event—when expression returns to reality, language is no longer a barrier but a bridge. This event also enhanced students’ English expression abilities and their confidence to bravely present themselves in public. The two-hour event concluded amidst applause, but the insights into growth, unfulfilled farewells, and clumsy yet sincere “hello” continued to resonate in the hearts of the participants. See you again next year at SCUPI SONIC!